Bearing assemblies are used in a wide range of applications and come in a wide range of sizes and shapes, depending upon the particular loads and equipment configurations. Many bearing assemblies include cages which maintain the rolling elements spaced apart from one another so that the load is equally distributed between the inner and outer bearing rings. During rotation of the bearing, the cage maintains the spacing between the rolling elements. In some applications, a crown cage is provided into which rolling elements, such as bearing balls, are snapped into the open pockets formed between axially extending protrusions that extend from a rim that is adapted be located on one side of the rolling elements. These are suitable for use in connection with low speed bearings. Other bearing arrangements include cages with closed pockets which can be used in higher load or higher speed applications. These cages can be formed in one piece or, for larger sized bearings, are often formed in two crown shaped pieces that are then joined together along a center line of the rolling elements to provide a closed cage configuration. A further option in connection with the closed cage configuration is to provide a ring guide located on the cage rim which can contact an inner surface of the outer ring in order to provide a guide for the cage as it rotates. This is in contrast to ball guided cages which are guided by the contact with the rolling elements, such as bearing balls.
In many applications, the bearing ball size and spacing is the same, although the inner and outer rings for the bearing can be different. For example, a regular ball bearing versus a deep groove ball bearing. Further, depending upon the application an open pocket, ball guided cage or a closed pocket, ring guided cage is needed in order to maintain the same spacing for the same diameter bearing balls. However, due to the different cage configurations, different parts are required to be manufactured and inventoried.
Further, the need sometimes arises in certain applications to change out bearings that previously had an open pocket, ball guided cage to a closed pocket, ring guided cage when equipment speeds change from relatively low speed to higher speed operation on a relatively permanent basis.
It would be desirable to provide the same cage part for use in multiple different applications, to the extent possible, in order to reduce both costs and inventory requirements. It would also be desirable to allow for an existing bearing to be changed from an open pocket, ball guided cage to a closed pocket ring guided cage without the need for replacing the entire bearing.